Great news! The Ontario Society of Artists has published a book, Breath. Heart. Spirit. The OSA 150 Years, to celebrate 150 years as the oldest continuously operating artists’ society in Canada.

This is a wonderful book for artists, their families and friends, chronicling the legacy and the significance of the society in Ontario’s cultural life.

This project has been two years in development with the OSA Anniversary Planning Committee. The book creation trio, Janet Read, (managing editor and writer), Diana Harding-Tucker (image editor and writer) and Pat Dumas-Hudecki (graphic designer) have worked to produce a publication that honours OSA history and looks forward, at times provocatively, towards our future.

Essayists include Dr. Laura Brandon, Hilary Dow, Linda Jansma, Joan Murray, Margaret Rodgers, Dr. Andrea Terry and OSA member, Agniezska Foltyn.

Images were sourced from public gallery collections with holdings of OSA artists. Image contributors include the National Gallery, Ontario Archives, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Agnes Etherington, Hamilton, Robert McLaughlin  and London public galleries.

Ordering Details 

Breath. Heart. Spirit: The OSA 150 Years 

As an OSA member, you are entitled to a $5 discount on the purchase of this limited-edition book. You will recognize many of our current members and you may even find yourself in it!

Order entry is online and postage rate is a flat $15 per book. Thus, for members, the total cost is $55 including postage. For non-members the book costs $45 plus postage.

"This book of life stories, artworks and essays is both relatable and inspiring. The reader will learn the fascinating history of this organization and be delighted and amazed by the abundance of talent that characterizes the OSA."

– Lani Kopczinski, curator of the Government of Ontario Art Collection, Archives of Ontario